National Merit Semifinalists Named

More than 600 Chicago-area high school seniors were among the 15,000 semifinalists for $26 million in National Merit Scholarships, according to the National Merit Scholarship Program.

The semifinalists were chosen from more than 1 million students in more than 19,000 high schools nationwide. They represent about one-half of 1 percent of each state`s graduating class.

Students qualified for the program by taking the 1990 Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. To qualify as a finalist, students must have an outstanding academic record, submit Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, be recommended by their high school principal and complete a detailed scholarship application.